Island Hygienist

Guess who just landed a part-time Dental Hygiene position in Nevis?  Why, that would be me!  After realizing that I'm not the greatest Dental Assistant (an understatement) and not accepting the Assisting position, a Dental Hygiene position has just opened up!  It is one day a week, Wednesday mornings from 9-1, and I will be taking the Ferry weekly to St. Kitts' Sister Island of Nevis!  So now I can tell people, "Oh yes, while my husband was in Medical School in the Caribbean, we lived on one Island and I traveled by boat to work on another Island."  God's plan gets more and more exciting by the day!  I start the job when we get back from our Canadian trip in May, and because it is only one day a week, it won't interfere with my rigorous beaching and tanning schedule - Ha!  God is Good!!

In my transition to becoming a good Wifey to my Hubby, I'm attempting "inexpensive and delicious" meals for dinner!  I went Ukrainian this week and made a cabbage roll casserole, and Andee wanted a picture of my efforts!   Nom nom nom!

As per usual, the DH's and I enjoyed lots of beach and pool time, soaking up the sun, and relaxing!  And as usual, it was tons of fun!

This week also involved 2 impromptu bonfires/cookouts!  The first, a Family Beach Cookout, involved spider wieners, marshmallows, and lots of friends!  St. Kitts weather is totally amazing, and it was indeed a great evening!  Oh, and Andee came too! *gasp!*  It was awesome to spend some time with the Hubs!

The second bonfire included lots of friends, lots of food, and lots of fun!  We made amazing smores, and ate way too much!  Sounds like a great night to me!

It is getting closer and closer to break time, which means that Canada has very limited time to get well above freezing for good!  I will not be pleased if I have to drag out the winter coats in late April!

Countdown:  23 days!  I have been craving a McChicken for weeks, and am planning on yet another McDonalds stop straight from the airport.  Perf.

Goodbye Block Two!

Up until Wednesday of last week, my poor Andee had been studying for almost a month straight for this set of Block 2 exams.  So to celebrate the completion of these exams, we spent the afternoon at the Marriott Beach soaking up the sun!   I have also seen a lot more of my hubby this week, and we have enjoyed some Blue Jays baseball, Shipwreck Beach, and just hanging out!  I love my husband!  Sometimes I miss him when he is right in front of me because of looming exams getting in the way!  But not this week!  This week we experienced a normal, newlywed marriage!  Well, normal for St. Kitts of course!

 

This week also involved Catherine's "25th" (again) birthday!  And in true St. Kitts fashion, the Wifeys celebrated in style!  Part One of the celebrations included some Desperate Housewives, Reggae Beach, a 600 pound pig, and tons of fun!  Oh, and Catherine is never without her camera - a must have quality for us bloggers!

Part Two of the Birthday Celebrations included Dinner at Spratnet, a cute Caribbean restaurant that is situated right along the ocean!  Jessie and I shared a "medium" vegetarian pizza (which was the size of a large), and Emily and Janae made Birthday Cupcakes just for the occasion!  It was a delicious and fun night!

On Sunday, I hosted Bible study, which was a lot of fun!  I really like having people over and cooking for them, especially when they are busy students!  I also love this Bible study - it is an amazing study of faith and belief in God, and we all had a great time learning!

Ready for an Only in St. Kitts moment?  While studying away, Andee noticed something moving on our ceiling.  Upon a closer look, he discovered that it was a tiny lizard that was hiding out in one of the grooves of the celing!  It was the cutest thing ever, and we even sniped a quick picture before returning him to his home!  So, "Only in St. Kitts!"

Countdown to Canada: 32 days!  That is just over a month!  Andee is starting Block 3 exams in a couple weeks, and then finals right after that!  A busy busy time for Andee - Thank goodness I will be here for him during finals to force feed him pie!

Back in the Same Time Zone!

I'm feeling quite content these days, which yes, can usually be attributed to warm weather and a lack of working, but more so because I have finally let go of my deep rooted anxiety related to major change.  And of course I will still start to sweat a little when major changes are about to take place, and will probably require a (lengthy) adjustment period, but I believe that through a newly acquired faith in the will and plan of God, I finally understand the necessity and wonder involved with these changes.  God has recently pushed me forward in a positive way and has increased my faith more than I have ever experienced before.  And the blessings he has poured out to us on this little Island are nothing less than incredible.  Our God is truly indescribable, full of power and wonder, and full of compassion and blessings.  He is patient when we fall, and encouraging when we persevere.  Basically I am just very joyful of the amazing work that God is doing in the lives of Andee and I.  So in a nutshell... "You can't take my Joy Devil!" - Kirk Franklin 

And now, for your amusement (ok, for my amusement), a collection of photos depicting the last couple weeks of the Real Housewives of St. Kitts!  Enjoy!

One night, as our husbands were all busy studying, we quickly decided to have an impromptu Karaoke Night!  When it comes to karaoke, I have no shame, and so some embarrassingly hilarious songs and dancing were performed!  

On Friday, a few of the girls headed out to Bamboo Lounge for some chatting and dancing!  Mixed drinks are only $5 EC (about $2 US) which is perfect for cheapos like me!

In housewives news, I decided to attempt meatloaf only to discover that we do not own a loaf pan (oh St. Kitts) and so Andee and I had a brilliant idea to make meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potato frosting!  They were both cute and delicious!  We enjoyed them so much that I told the other wives, who then made them for their husbands!  The hubby's were certainly eating well this week!

I also decided to make my first ever pie!  (And by I decided, I mean that Andee bought pie filling and pie crust mix and I took the hint)  It was a little interesting due to my lack of skills and our lack of a pie tin, but overall, not too bad!

Worship team has become a weekly occurrence, and so I decided to have Andee take a quick picture of us when it was my turn to host practice!

Recently, thanks to our new friend Catherine, some of the girls have started to learn the art of "crafting".  This week, Catherine (being extremely patient with us newbies) taught us to make a necklace and two flower hair clips!  They are perfect for the Caribbean and are a lot of fun to make!  I'm sure there will be much more crafting to come!

This Friday we celebrated Janae's Birthday in style with some games, cake, dance video games, and dancing at the Blue Martini!  In the words of Catherine: "Last night was fun/crazy/weird!"  Sounds like a good birthday to me!

This Saturday was Sunfest, the UMHS mid-semester beach party at Cockleshell Beach!  Unfortunately, Andee and most of the other Med 2's didn't make it out to the beach due to their looming Genetics Shelf and Final Exams on both Monday and Wednesday.  Not to worry, there were plenty of girls there for me to hang out with!  And Andee and I will be sure to make up our beach time when exams are finished!

Let's start the countdown until our return to Canada!  According to my calender, only 40 days left!  Time sure flies when you are having fun (or studying like a maniac!)

P.S.  Due to Daylight Savings today, we are now in the same time zone as our fellow Canadians!  See you all soon!

The Coveted Bottle of Rum!

So, as most of you by now know, I have been attending a weekly trivia night at Bamboo Lounge every Tuesday.  Our team, to put it nicely, while full of excited and energetic members, has never won a game....that is until last night!

With the arrival of Abby's guests, we beat the second place team by a long shot - something that has consistently been dreamed about, but has never came to reality!  Our little trivia team has finally won the coveted bottle of rum and "frog of knowledge" - and we have the pictures to prove it!

The rest of the time since my last blog has been very typical. (and so blogging will most likely become a little less consistent for a while, until something really exciting happens, such as trivia)

Sunday - Church and Bible study
Monday - Laundry and beach time
Tuesday - Trivia
Wednesday - Worship practice
Thursday - Laundry, pool day, and grocery shopping
Friday - Sometimes we go out
Saturday - Relax

The rest of the days are filled with tons of beach time and pool time, making lunches and dinners, practicing worship songs and reading Bible studies, hanging out with Andee (ha - just kidding; he is in medical school), hanging out with friends (there we go), and doing whatever else is required of a desperate housewife!

Andee has Block Exams on Monday, and also the following Monday.  And then consistently every couple weeks until the end of the semester.  I just calculated for the first time this semester the amount of days left until our visit back home, and only because I was curious how 3 sets of blocks could possibly fit into the remaining time left in the semester.  To compare, last semester I poured over my calender and could tell anyone at any time the exact number of days until my return flight back home.  In case you are wondering?  It's 50 days tomorrow.  Other fun facts about our flight?  We arrive home on Good Friday, and Andee is secretly hoping American Airlines messes up our flights and puts us up in a hotel so that we can attend the Rockies vs Marlins Baseball game in Miami.  It's a win-win I suppose!

Conclusion?  I love St. Kitts!  There, I said it!  I love wifely duties, I love tropical weather, I love my St. Kitts friends, I love the Crackhouses, I love Bible Study, I love Worship Team, I love trivia, I love the Marriott, I love the beach, I love Andee, and I love love love Jesus!

And the best part?  I love Canada too!

Dave and Janis' Caribbean Crusade!

And now for the much anticipated (by my parents) blog devoted entirely to the visit of my Mom and Dad to our beloved Island of St. Kitts!  Be prepared; it's going to be a long one!

My parents - Janis (Mom) and Dave (Dad) arrived on Sunday, February 13th to the Robert L. Bradshaw Airport in St. Kitts.  They were greeted by Andee, myself, and Jamal (our car), who had trouble fitting all four of us, four suitcases, and 3 carry-ons inside!  It was a bit of a bumpy ride, but we eventually made it back to the Crackhouses - Home sweet Home!   My parents loved our apartment, and couldn't understand why they were nicknamed the Crackhouses in the first place! (maybe it's because white powder appears on your clothing when you lean against the side of the building?)  We all quickly changed into our bathing suits, and headed out to our first excursion!

Andee and I decided to take my parents to Shipwreck Beach on the first day because they boast a live band on Sunday evenings.  Jamal barely made the trek up the massive hill with numerous potholes, but it was well worth it!  We stopped along the way to get some scenic pictures of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, which turned out amazing!  At Shipwreck, we saw a ton of monkeys, visited the beach for the first time (my parents stuck out like a sore thumb due to their pasty skin), ate some delicious burgers and fries, and enjoyed some live Caribbean music - a perfect start to our week!

The next day, Monday, just happened to be Valentines Day!  With that in mind, we decided to take a "Catamaran Cruise" of the Island!  What made it even better was that Andee was able to join us for this one!  On the Catamaran, we enjoyed an open bar and Caribbean style lunch, as well as some amazing snorkeling!  This was definitely one of the highlights of our trip!  And in true Canadian fashion, even through spf 60 sunscreen, we all managed to get sunburned!  Overall, a wonderful St. Kitts experience for my parents!

After the catamaran, we showed my parents Port Zante and Downtown Basseterre, and they bought a couple souvenirs!  A little different than shopping at home!

That evening we has a "romantic" spaghetti dinner at the apartment, and then headed out to the Piano Bar at the Marriott!  My parents (especially my Dad) really enjoyed the music, as well as the free drinks! (that's right!)  We would have liked to have gone back again, but had trouble fitting it in!

On Tuesday, I took my parents to the infamous "Rituals Coffee Shop" so that they could try a much anticipated doughnut - and it certainly did not disappoint!  We also checked out the two tourist shops and the Rams Express next door, which would be visited multiple times throughout the week!

Most of the day was spent at the Marriott beach (a reoccurring theme throughout the trip) where my parents and I were able to soak up the sun (with our 60 spf sunscreen of course!)

That evening we attended a local restaurant located on The Strip called Cathy's.  Andee and I tried the lobster (my first time eating it - it was fantastic!) and my parents had barbecue chicken and ribs!  The sides were very local (or Native...Mom) and the entire meal was very delicious!

We followed up the meal with Trivia Night at Bamboo Lounge, which swiftly increased Dad's ego when he answered four questions right in the "Music" category, bumping us into Fourth Place - our best finish yet!  He couldn't have been happier with his contribution, and we were glad to be out of our usual last place finish!  Another great day in St. Kitts!

On Wednesday, we enjoyed some more beach time, and an excellent lunch at the Bohemia Pool and Beach Bar, consisting of Caribbean wraps and Crunchy Chicken Sandwiches!  Andee joined us for this deliciousness, but then continued to study as we sunbathed for the remainder of the afternoon - what a dedicated student!  We took it easy that night, with a home-cooked dinner and an early bedtime for all of us!  St. Kitts can really tire you out!

Thursday during the day included more beach time, a Marriott Photo Shoot (of course), and Marriott fries for lunch!  The ocean was wavy and fun, and the pool was calm and exciting with music, the pool bar, and lots of tourists!

Thursday evening we visited the ever popular Shiggity Shack for dinner, as well as to witness the Amazing Blazing Fire Man and Bonfire, as well as some more music!  It was a great time filled with fish burgers, fire, and some amazing sunsets!  A very Caribbean-esque evening!

Friday consisted of beach time at both the Marriott and The Strip (we decided to venture out a little) and more delicious food at the Shiggity Shack!  We also visited the Marriott in the evening to listen to the live band in the lobby!  It was a lot of fun, with a very local atmosphere!

On Saturday, we finally made it to the Marriott Breakfast Buffet - an amazing food experience at the Marriott!  We all ate way too much, and certainly enjoyed our meal!

That evening, (after some more beach time) we went to a restaurant that Andee and I had never been to before - and it was amazing!  It is called Sunset Cafe, located on The Strip, and the food, service, and overall atmosphere of the restaurant was just amazing!  It was probably the best meal we had the whole week, and so was a great experience for my parents' last night in St. Kitts!  Andee and I will definitely be returning for a date night!

On Sunday we woke up slow, and my parents packed their bags to go back to the cold and snow.  They clearly were not happy with this idea, and so Mom decided to enroll Dad in Medical School so that she could hang out with me all day at the beach!  Dad was not at all thrilled with this decision!

Taking my parents back to the airport was the worst part of the whole trip, because we knew they were heading back to the cold and back to work!  Fortunately for us, there is still lots of time for skyping!  Unfortunately for them, the beach can not be experienced through skype!

Today, Monday, is an overcast and cool(ish) day, which is fine by me, as I am burnt to a crisp!  Andee and I had a great time with my Parents, and I know they had an amazing time with us and enjoying St. Kitts!  And who knows....maybe they will be back again this year to enjoy the tropical weather!  We all sure hope so!